Possessive Adjectives: My, Your, His, Her, Our, Their
Quick Answer
English has six possessive adjectives — small words that show who owns the next noun: my, your, his, her, our, their.
Click any one below to open a short lesson with examples, common mistakes, and a quiz.
What Is a Possessive Adjective?
A possessive adjective is a tiny word you put before a noun to say who it belongs to. It answers the question: whose?
- my phone — belongs to me
- your phone — belongs to you
- his phone — belongs to a man
- her phone — belongs to a woman
- our phone — belongs to us
- their phone — belongs to them
The Six Possessive Adjectives
Each pairs with a subject pronoun (I, you, he, she, we, they). Pick one, learn it, take the quiz, then come back for the next.
| Subject | Possessive | Owner | Example | Lesson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | my | me | My name is Sara. | Learn MY |
| you | your | you | Your bag is heavy. | Learn YOUR |
| he | his | a man / boy | His car is red. | Learn HIS |
| she | her | a woman / girl | Her name is Lisa. | Learn HER |
| we | our | us (a group) | Our team won. | Learn OUR |
| they | their | them (others) | Their house is big. | Learn THEIR |
The Rule in One Line: A possessive adjective sits before a noun to show who owns it.
How to Learn These Six Words
The trick is to learn each one paired with its subject pronoun:
- I → my
- you → your
- he → his
- she → her
- we → our
- they → their
Six pairs, six small wins. Open one lesson a day and they will stick.
Test Yourself: Possessive Adjectives
Choose an answer to see your feedback immediately. Your first answer counts towards your score.
1. Sara forgot _______ keys at the office.
2. We love _______ new flat.
3. Tom and Sara invited me to _______ wedding.
Keep Going — You Are Building Something
You now know the six possessive adjectives by name. The next step is to make each one feel automatic.
The first one is my. It seems simple — but did you know there is one tiny rule that decides whether you say “I name” or “my name”? Most beginners get it wrong the first time.
Next lesson: Possessive Adjective MY — When and How to Use It
I’m Khamis Maiouf. I’m studying Health and Social Care and have completed Functional Skills Level 2 in English and Level 3 Hairdressing. I have taught ESOL in my community and helped students with GCSE English. I run English Teacher Site to help people learn and practise English.